Thale (pronounced[ˈtaːlə]) is a town in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany. Located at the steep northeastern rim of the Harz mountain range, it is known for the scenic Bode Gorge stretching above the town centre.
The settlement of Thale probably emerged at the beginning of the 10th century. It was documented in 936 in connexion with the neighbouring Wendhusen Abbey, which had been founded around 825 AD as a chapter of canonesses (Kanonissenstift). Established by an Eastphalian comital family and based on the model of Herford Abbey, it was one of the first monasteries in the medieval Duchy of Saxony. After Queen Dowager Matilda, wife of the late King Henry the Fowler, tried in vain to relocate the convent in 936, it came under the guardianship of the newly established Quedlinburg chapter.
The adjacent village was first mentioned in a 1231 deed as Dat Dorp to dem Dale (from 1288 it was given the Latinised description de valle, and from 1303 as von Thale). In the late Middle Ages, the estates were held by the Saxon Counts of Regenstein, vassals of the Halberstadt prince-bishops. The monastery premises were stormed and devastated in 1525 during the German Peasants' War.
From 1445 the records show that there had been an ironworks in Thale. It was rebuilt from 1648 onwards after the devastations of the Thirty Years' War as the Berghaus zum Wilden Mann, but was fully destroyed in 1670. After the secularised Halberstadt territories were incorporated by Brandenburg-Prussia, a small hammer mill was established in 1686 out of which a new ironworks later developed that benefited especially from its proximity to the ore deposits and the availability of wood. It lasted until 1714. In 1740 a business was opened again. For a short time this ironworks was owned by the Prussian king Frederick the Great.
1912 map of Thale
Part of the Prussian Province of Saxony since 1815, the first wrought-iron wagon axle to be made in the German lands was manufactured here in 1831. In 1835 the oldest sheet steel enamel works in Europe was founded in Thale. Following the town's connexion to the railway network in 1862 with a line to Berlin the place flourished as did the number of workers. Whilst the iron industry had only 350 workers in 1872, by 1905 there were as many as 4,400. In particular, the production of enamel contributed to Thale's international renown; in its heyday Thale produced no less than 10% of the world's production. In 1910 Karl Liebknecht, Rosa Luxemburg and Clara Zetkin spoke to Thale's workers. From 1916 steel helmets were produced in Thale. In the World War II Thale had the monopoly on this product (from 1934).
Tourism blossomed from the 19th century onwards in connexion with the radon rich water of the Hubertus Spring, which had been opened up in 1836. As a result, various literary figures visited the place, including Heinrich Heine (Die Harzreise) and Theodor Fontane and especially the Bode Gorge. In addition tourists from Berlin enjoyed the summer resort of Thale. This encouraged the connexion of Thale in 1862 to the railway line from Wegeleben. In 1909 a branch line from Blankenburg (Harz) followed. In 1922 the resort was given town rights. From 12 to 14 June 2009 Thale was the venue for the Saxony-Anhalt Day held under the motto Thale sagenhaft ("Legendary Thale"), and attracted around 200,000 visitors.
Incorporation of other municipalities
Warnstedt was incorporated in 2003.[4] In 2009 a total of seven municipalities were incorporated on four separate dates.[5][6] Westerhausen was added in 2010.[7] Allrode became a part of the town of Thale in 2011.[8]
The changes in area are shown in a separate table.
The growth of population (from 1995 censuses were taken every 31 December):[9]
1825 – 1,406
1875 – 3,311
1880 – 3,683
1890 – 6,292
1925 – 13,545
1933 – 13,557
1939 – 13,520
1946 – 18,082 (29 October)
1950 – 17,968 (31 August)
1960 – 17,391 (31 December)
1971 – 17,620 (1 January)
1981 – 16,830 (31 December)
1984 – 16,423 (31 December)
1990 – 17,560 (3 October)
1995 – 16,230
2000 – 14,539
2001 – 14,167
2002 – 13,877
2003 – 13,631
Politics
Town council
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2021)
Thale town hall
(according to the official result of the elections for the Thale town council on 7 June 2009; Voter participation: 42.88%, Changes from the previous election in brackets)
The coat of arms was approved on 11 July 1996 by the Magdeburg Regional Council (Regierungspräsidium).
Partnerships
Since 1990 Thale has had a town partnership with Seesen (Lower Saxony) on the northwest edge of the Harz and, since 1998, with the French town of Juvisy-sur-Orge, 18 km from Paris, as well as Tillabéri in Niger, northwest of the River Niger.
Culture and places of interest
St. Peter's Church (1908)Windmill in WarnstedtView from Witches' Dancefloor above ThaleView from the Witches' Dancefloor at Thale around 1900Enamel wall picture near Thale Central Station
Museums
Wendhusen Abbey which specialises in the theme of "canoness chapters" (Kanonissenstifte)
Bode Gorge - Thale is the gateway to the Bode Gorge which is overlooked by the Hexentanzplatz ("Witches' Dancefloor"), accessible on the Bode Gorge Gondola Lift, and the Roßtrappe, to which a chair lift runs. At the Hexentanzplatz is a large open-air theatre and a zoo.
